


A Moment's Silence

by sir_coriander_cadaverish



Category: Nimona (Webcomic)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:47:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23549377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sir_coriander_cadaverish/pseuds/sir_coriander_cadaverish
Summary: First fluffy upload, baby!! I've been sitting on a bunch of soft Teenage Goldenheart fanfics for about a year. Here's one of my favorites :)
Relationships: Ballister Blackheart/Ambrosius Goldenloin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	A Moment's Silence

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so there's two things I wanna point out real quick:
> 
> 1) On her Tumblr, Noelle Stevenson revealed that the boys have slightly different backstories regarding their admission to the Institution: while Ambrosius was taken in as an orphan off the streets, Ballister was sold to the Institution by his gambling father in order to pay off some debt. This means that Ballister was likely to have had some sort of relationship with his father (probably not a good one) before he was given away. Ambrosius, on the other hand, did not.
> 
> 2) Stevenson also confirmed that Ballister is of mixed Asian descent (probably Asian mom and white dad). While this doesn't matter much to the story, I like to think that Ballister took after his late mother, who was lovely and kind and very passionate about science (see where I'm going here?), much more than his father - who grew cold towards his son after the death of his wife (hence his problem with gambling). Okay end of rant enjoy!!

It was late, but Ballister's mind still raced with thoughts, doubts, and anxieties - all determined to keep him awake. Earlier that night, as he had for the past few frosty weeks, Ambrosius had snuck into Ballister's bed to share body heat. Now, he lay peacefully next to Ballister, who desperately needed to talk to someone - anyone - before his own thoughts overwhelmed him.

"Hey. Ambrosius," Ballister whispered as softly as possible. There was no response. 

He turned and looked over his shoulder, seeing Ambrosius' serene, almost angelic face, his golden hair spread across his pillow. 

"Babe," he whispered, a bit louder. Ambrosius didn't stir. Sighing softly, Ballister gave up and rolled back over. 

A moment later, he heard Ambrosius murmur, "Yeah?" 

Relieved, Ballister turned back around and faced his boyfriend. "I can't sleep," he whispered. Ambrosius' eyes flickered across Ballister's, a look of concern growing on his face. "Why, what's wrong?" 

Ballister lay on his back, lost in thought. He took a slow, deep breath. 

"Do you ever think about your parents?" 

Ambrosius was taken aback. 

"Not... really," he replied after a moment. "Do you?" 

Ballister was quiet. Ambrosius slipped his arm under the covers and squeezed Ballister's hand. 

"Yeah," Ballister finally said. "I think about my dad sometimes. I wonder what it is I must've... done." 

"Done?" Ambrosius whispered. 

Ballister swallowed hard. "Like, y'know, why he didn't want..." His voice trailed away; a massive lump was forming in his throat. Ballister didn't want to cry right now, but thoughts of his father abandoning him raised a significant risk. So he just stared, blinking rapidly at the ceiling, willing himself not to. 

"Ballister, don't be so hard on yourself," Ambrosius whispered emphatically. "He made the biggest mistake of his life, giving you away." Ballister sniffled. Ambrosius continued, "And there's nothing that you _did_. There's nothing you _could've_ done to cause that. You were his baby... and he screwed up."

Ballister shook his head slowly, moonlight gleaming off his inky hair. "He never liked me," he whispered. "Maybe... I reminded him too much of my mom." 

He suddenly sat up, restless. 

Ambrosius sat up too, placing a hand gently on Ballister's back. "You could be right," he said. 

Ballister seemed to be debating whether or not to say something. He slowly turned his head away from Ambrosius. "To be honest, I'm kind of jealous of you," he finally said in a voice barely above a whisper. 

Ambrosius whispered, "Why?" 

Ballister exhaled heavily through his nose and said, "Because you never knew yours."

Then he turned and faced Ambrosius, hastily adding, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that-" Ambrosius shook his head. "No, it's alright. I get it. I kinda had it easier, in a weird way. And you didn't deserve any of that... you were just a little kid." 

Ballister didn't respond. At that moment, if he were honest with himself, he still felt like that same heartbroken little kid, sold by his own father.

In the dim moonlight, Ambrosius could see Ballister's eyes glistening with tears.

"Ah, come here," Ambrosius whispered, reaching out to him.

In the silence of the dorm, he pulled Ballister close and hugged him. Resting his head on Ambrosius' shoulder, Ballister blinked away tears for what felt like the hundredth time that night. He could usually fight these feelings without much effort, but at that moment he felt far too vulnerable.

They lay there on the bed for a long while, Ambrosius leaning against the pillows while Ballister lay nestled beneath Ambrosius' arm. Then Ballister's soft voice broke the silence. 

"Ambrosius?" 

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

Ambrosius buried his face in Ballister's hair and sweetly planted a kiss on his neck.

"Don't worry about it, babe," he said in a muffled voice.

Ballister closed his eyes and smiled.


End file.
